He does strike me that way, too. But it's over 40 players, so I cant imagine he does them all. Maybe position coaches for some? I wonder if that's a question he would answer? Or would he say, "in person, instaface, carrier pigeon, semaphore . . . . we just use whatever method of informing the player that his ship of dreams has run aground onto the rocks of despair that is best for the team."

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I coach with a guy who was the S+C coach for the NAL team here in Maine (for its glorious but only season). He tells stories of the guys still believing the NFL was just a phone call away. And some of these are 6'8 320 Lb Tackles or 6'3 250lb LBs, so guys who size wise would not be out of their depth. And talk about peanuts....These guys where like $300 a game or something ridiculous.

It was sobering (and sad) for my 11 yo to walk into Dicks Sporting goods to buy his cleats for his youth season and see the WR who was lighting it up 2 months earlier, and who he thought was an amazing player, was the guy selling the shoes.

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For final cut down day, most teams are pretty much the same. The veterans get called in to the facility first. They get the message ahead of time, usually through a courtesy call to the agent, then they turn in their stuff and get a quick meeting with the decision makers. The rookies and first year players get called next, essentially as a group (because usually they have to travel together), and once they are there, they get the message one by one in person - who delivers the message depends on what's next for the player. For example, the guys they want to offer practice squad spots to, they get a more detailed meeting with a more senior decision maker to explain things like (a) don't leave town, (b) we'll talk to your agent about what's coming next, and (c) if you are not claimed off waivers, we'd like to bring you back on the practice squad. For the guys who are at the end of the line with that team, their message is more like "thanks, you did a great job but its a numbers game and we don't have a spot for you ... you will get your flight information from PERSON A after this meeting and the shuttle van to the airport will leave the facility in 45 minutes."

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For final cut down day, most teams are pretty much the same. The veterans get called in to the facility first. They get the message ahead of time, usually through a courtesy call to the agent, then they turn in their stuff and get a quick meeting with the decision makers. The rookies and first year players get called next, essentially as a group (because usually they have to travel together), and once they are there, they get the message one by one in person - who delivers the message depends on what's next for the player. For example, the guys they want to offer practice squad spots to, they get a more detailed meeting with a more senior decision maker to explain things like (a) don't leave town, (b) we'll talk to your agent about what's coming next, and (c) if you are not claimed off waivers, we'd like to bring you back on the practice squad. For the guys who are at the end of the line with that team, their message is more like "thanks, you did a great job but its a numbers game and we don't have a spot for you ... you will get your flight information from PERSON A after this meeting and the shuttle van to the airport will leave the facility in 45 minutes."

Thanks, Otto. Most of the guys getting cut pretty much know, right? Sure, you hold out hope and there are always real bubble guys but most guys like Nick Brossette know during camp that they’re just practice fodder. Sure it’s still a sobering moment because the whole “shit, what do I do now” gets quite real. All those guys who had 2.0 GPA from some factory school must be quite anxious.

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Thanks, Otto. Most of the guys getting cut pretty much know, right? Sure, you hold out hope and there are always real bubble guys but most guys like Nick Brossette know during camp that they’re just practice fodder. Sure it’s still a sobering moment because the whole “shit, what do I do now” gets quite real. All those guys who had 2.0 GPA from some factory school must be quite anxious.

This isn't universal, but I would say most rookies and other first year players have a different perspective than that. Most of those guys who weren't round 1-4 draft picks are still there at the end because there is someone on the staff - a position coach - who is in their corner. The guy we see as a random 7th rounder or UDFA is still there because the coaches like him - if they didn't, he would have been replaced like the countless guys already sent packing. And the coaches also tell them that - every day. So these guys didn't get to August 31 hearing "there are six CB's ahead of you" or whatever. They've been hearing some combination of (a) here's what you have to do to make this roster, (b) you are doing X and Y well, and (c) you need to get better at Z. So even if they know they have an uphill battle to make the roster, they got this far, so they think they are close. And if they don't get the spot on the 53, they are positive they will get the practice squad spot. In all cases, the guys who are sent to the airport on cut down day are shocked.

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